Console Diablo "theoretically possible" Related content
Diablo III game info
Advertisement
Console Diablo "theoretically possible" News
PC News by Oli Welsh
Speaking to Eurogamer for our Diablo III preview, Blizzard's vice president of game design Rob Pardo has admitted that a console version of Diablo is "theoretically posssible".
Blizzard told fans at last weekend's Worldwide Invitational event that it was working on Diablo III for PC and Mac exclusively, and had no plans for a console game at the moment. The decision was said to be motivated simply by PC being the most appropriate platform for the game.
However, asked if Blizzard could make a Diablo game for consoles, Pardo said, "I think it's theoretically possible. It would have some control changes that I think you'd have to make... But it's probably, of our major franchises, the one that's most console friendly, for sure."
Pardo - formerly lead designer on World of Warcraft, now occupying a design role with oversight of all Blizzard's titles - quickly focused on the practical and design problems of a console version.
"You'd need to think about a lot of the point-and-click spells, like point to area-of-effect, or things like line-damage in this direction," Pardo said. "Target selection is something you're going to lose on console, you're really going to be able to do targeting direction, but not specific targeting."
However, asked if this would mean a ground-up redesign, he disagreed. "Oh, I don't think it would be a redesigned game," he says firmly. "Out of StarCraft, Warcraft or WOW, Diablo would be the easiest game to translate. But it would still take a bit of work."
Advertisement
Are you excited about Diablo III on PC?
View Eurogamer readers most anticipated games
Thanks!
Related Games
Diablo III
Latest Features
-
Diablo III Hands On [43]
-
Diablo III Interview [47]
-
Diablo III Hands On [42]
-
Diablo III Interview [14]
-
Diablo III Preview [52]
Latest Videos
12 minutes in Diablo III [4] 24 August, 2009
Diablo III - Monk cinematic [9] 21 August, 2009
Latest News
-
Diablo III, new MMO in "next few years" [40]
-
BlizzCon moving to Vegas in July? [2]
-
Blizzard in Diablo III console talks [38]
-
Blizzard shows Diablo III's Monk [10]
-
BlizzCon 2009 sold out in eight minutes [16]
Latest Screenshots
21 August, 2009 [10]
Want to comment on this article? Log in, or register!
Poster
|
daz_john_smith
04/07/08 @ 13:17
0
A Wii version would be cool, but I'd love to see it on any console.
|
|
0
Umm this rumour has already been killed
"PlayStation Universe yesterday, recalling rumors from 2006, asked a Blizzard rep when Diablo III would come to consoles. The non-answer answer: About never o'clock." "Jay Wilson, the game's lead designer, was asked about the possibility of Diablo III coming to the consoles, and he spoke at length about Blizzard's vision for such a possibility. Q: Do you have any plans for Diablo on consoles? We don't have any plans." |
|
Mentalist(air)
04/07/08 @ 13:39
0
I don't understand what Blizzard have against consoles. Hopefully their new Activision Overlords will start breaking fingers until they reconsider.
|
|
0
If the VP of game design for Blizzard thinks it's possible, then there's a chance. A very small one, but a chance nonetheless. Can see how aspects of the UI would be a sod, though.
It's a double-edged sword (pun not intended)...the controls would have to be spot-on, or it'll be lambasted. Or if it's a variation of the gameplay in some way, version snobbery and cries of 'it's not the proper game' will echo through the threads. Consider this space watched. |
|
0
@peasoup
"never say never, what if it doesn't sell well on PC?" It's possible, but I very much doubt that it'll sell badly, I think gamers of that generation have a lot of fond memories of Diablo, I sure do. I'd imagine any console ports would be 3rd party as Climax Studios did the PSOne version (cracking port really) so I'd imagine if someone wanted to produce PS3, 360, Wii, DS, Casio Calculator versions and could do a good job (they wouldn't want shite sullying their brands) then Blizzard would be up for it.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 04/07/08 @ 14:51
|
|
SpyroViper
04/07/08 @ 14:08
0
I guess he doesn't know you can use Keyboard and Mouse for the PS3. Just make it a mandatory feature.
|
|
0
Diablo 1 came out on the Playstation way back when.
And it was really good, except for its loading times. Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance and Champions of Norrath were great, too, so if Diablo III is really just more of the same, there's no reason why it wouldn't work on a console. That said, I thought Diablo II wasn't as enjoyable as the original, so I'm not exactly losing sleep over this issue. |
|
Prodigy_BE
04/07/08 @ 15:04
0
Pretty obvious why they're not saying anything now.
Otherwise some PC consumers who also have consoles might wait for the PS3 or 360 version. They want to sell as much PC copy's as they can, before announcing a console port. I for one, don't have a PC, and ain't buying one to play Diablo III. But release it on PS3, and you've got my 65 euro's from day one. Me, and probably a few other PS3 owners. It's up to the Blizzard management to deceide if they want my money or not. |
|
Prodigy_BE
04/07/08 @ 15:23
0
@ Dizzy,
I wouldn't be so sure about that. They want to please their shareholders, so you can bet your ass they did a study about the long term effects of console versions a long time ago. You see, IF they release Diablo III later on on PS3 and 360, people might skip on Diablo 4, and wait for the console version of that game. They just don't want to kill off PC gaming, and are clearly aware of the pro's and con's of a console port. they'll do it, if their analists tell them there's more money to be made on console, as there is money to be lost on PC. Rich people ALWAYS go for more money (why the hell do you think they became rich in the first place) |
|
0
a lowest-common-denominator gaming experience.
Are we talking about console gaming in general now? :p But my point was that they managed to even make a D2 clone significantly more simple. Skilltrees, loot, monsters/attack patterns variation, required tactics for mobs, replayability. BG:DA was a good, but it lacked in everything that makes an action-RPG game a truly great game. |
|
0
"They want to please their shareholders"
They only want to please themselves and their fans and they've got all the financial means to do just that. If they had to please their shareholders then they would have released a lot more addons for their previous games or have done more rapidly developed sequels, all multiplatform too. Be happy that there are at least some companies left that only want to do their own thing and release games that feel like they've gone through proper QA. That it'll sell well in any case is pretty obvious, Diablo franchise alone sold 17 million copies already and I really don't think that the PS1 port of the first game had much to do with that... Also, 'a bit of work' in Blizzard terms? That's gonna take a while. :)
Edited 2 times,
most recently on 04/07/08 @ 21:23
|
|
TriggerHippie
04/07/08 @ 18:46
0
Another "article" spawned from the arse of a previous entry. Whats next EG, comments as news articles?
You know what else is "theoretically possible"? Time Travel. Wake me when that becomes news. |
|
peak_performance
05/07/08 @ 14:26
0
"After Diablo3 spreads like a raging fire on torrents and they realise they lose millions just like Crysis did. THEN they wil consider a console version...."
That's exactly what they did after Warcraft 3. Oh, wait a second... |
|
0
Im doing just what I hate with other now...im trolling. So I finish with saying I think Diablo3 is gonna be great and I hope they make it for X360 and PS3 alsow. Why should not console players experience this great world of Diablo?
Anyways didnt mean to step on anyones toes :) Stay safe all!
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 05/07/08 @ 15:40
|
|
0
Why should not console players experience this great world of Diablo?
Same reason PC misses on loads of consoles games I guess. While Piracy is an issue it's not as bad as some people make it out to be. Crytek didn't help itself by making a game that had huge system requirements to play it even at "high" and secondly the game wasn't all that. Diablo 3 will sell. Make a good game and it will sell. CoD 4 for example did very well. Sure not as good consoles but it sold well and that was just retail, charts don't include online sales. |
|
peak_performance
05/07/08 @ 18:30
0
"And the torrent network around the world is just as it was back in 2002.... "
Nah, didn't stop a load of people to pirate it though through other sources. Pirating wasn't exactly born when torrents arrived. I know loads of people who have played it and pirated it. Loads who bought it as well (ftr I belong in that group). |
|
ChthonicEcho
05/07/08 @ 19:35
0
Now I know why Eurogamer persists to post smaller articles stemmed from larger ones. So that users would discuss a particular part of it.
/pointlesscomment |
|
0
"Why should not console players experience this great world of Diablo? "
Irrelevant question. These are the only questions Blizzard need consider: Do we need to put the game on consoles to make enough money? or Would we get enough extra money from console releases to justify the extra effort? The answers are almost certainly an emphatic NO. Why put in all the effort, why hire extra console-specialists, why have to code and troubleshoot bugs etc for multiple totally different platforms, when you make a small nation's GDP with just the PC? |
|
0
For me it's the same, im gonna get the game no mather what platform it comes on. But not all are as "lucky" as me and have both consoles and a highend gaming rig. Im thinking about those people who mayby cant afford a good gaming computer, and let's face it...lying on the sofa with a 42" full hd tv, full dolby surround sound sweet in my book. :)
|
Want to comment on this article? Log in, or register!
